Our Mindful Nature: Meditation Inspired by Nature to Soothe the Overwhelmed Mind and Ease Anxiety

✨Just the Meditation Join us for a powerful guided chakra meditation designed to restore your connection to self and refill your cup. Perfect for anyone experiencing burnout, emotional exhaustion, or feeling disconnected despite regular self-care practices.This episode includes a full guided meditation that walks you through connecting with each energy center in your body. Today's meditation is paired with the sounds of Spring in the Pacific Northwest. Typically a damp rainy season, this soundscape is filled with flowing water, Cascades frog calls, and a dawn chorus quieted by the rain. Get comfy and press play now!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

In this episode, we explore why we often feel disconnected from ourselves despite regular self-care routines, and how mindfulness meditation can help us truly refill our energy cups. Join us for a powerful guided chakra meditation designed to restore your connection to self.What You'll Hear:The Self-Care ParadoxDiscover why traditional self-care activities sometimes fail to replenish your energy, and how even dedicated meditators experience moments of complete emotional exhaustion and depletion.The Multitasking TrapLearn how our habit of splitting awareness—checking notifications during coffee with friends, mentally making to-do lists while watching TV—transforms potentially restorative activities into energy drains.Energy Centers MeditationExperience a complete guided chakra meditation that moves through the body's energy centers—from earth element at your root to universal connection beyond your crown—to reestablish deep self-connection.Nature SoundscapeToday's meditation is paired with the sounds of Spring in the Pacific Northwest. Typically a damp rainy season, this soundscape is filled with flowing water, Cascades frog calls, and a dawn chorus quieted by the rain. This episode includes a full guided meditation that walks you through connecting with each energy center in your body. Perfect for anyone experiencing burnout, emotional exhaustion, or feeling disconnected despite regular self-care practices.Press play now!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Experience the energy of May's Full Flower Moon in this peaceful guided meditation. When flowers are in full bloom, it's time for the Flower Moon - a reminder not to hold back but to let your full energy shine.This gentle meditation helps you connect with the natural world, inviting you to find a comfortable spot near a window or outside where you can sense the world around you. Through breath awareness and sensory observation, you'll tap into the energy of the Flower Moon while finding stillness and presence.The nature sounds in this episode come from Antilon Lake in central Washington. On the edge of a vast wilderness, the small lake and wetland are a watering hole for many local wildlife species. It's an early spring night in the eastern Cascade foothills. Hear the high-toned call of a Northern Saw-whet Owl, the low hoot of the Great Horned Owl, and the faint and less consistent call of a mountain lion. The combination of these unique animal vocalizations makes a fascinating and eerie recording done on a cool spring night under a full moon. The Chelan people were the first to hear the sounds of this landscape.Press play now to immerse yourself in a calming meditation journey that connects you with the rhythms of nature and the timeless experience of gazing at the same moon that has been witnessed by humans across the arc of time.This meditation guides you to:- Find a comfortable position that feels steady and supported- Establish a natural breathing rhythm- Notice the sensations around you - temperature, scent, and sound- Gradually open your eyes to take in the moonlight and night sky- Connect with the universal human experience of moon-gazingSign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Want to improve your mental health? One of the easiest and most effective steps you can take is to foster to CONNECTION But to what? And how? In this episode, Dr. Adam Dorsay, author and host of the podcast Super Psyched, joins us for conversation about the intricacies of connection.What You'll Hear:Understanding ConnectionDr. Dorsay defines connection as "an internal emotional response that makes you feel alive" and reveals how disconnection appears in nearly every mental health diagnosis in the DSM. His framework identifies four essential types of connection: to Self, Others, the World, and Something Greater.Everyday DisconnectorsDiscover how our brain's preference for efficiency, constant device use, planning ahead, social comparison, and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) prevent us from experiencing true connection and presence in our daily lives.The Nature ConnectionLearn about the restorative power of "forest bathing," how birdsong signals safety to our brains, and why time in nature visibly changes our appearance and emotional state.About Dr. Adam Dorsay:Dr. Adam Dorsay is a licensed psychologist, speaker, and author of "Super Psyched: Unleash the Power of the Four Types of Connection and Live the Life You Love." With over 20,000 hours of psychotherapy experience, Dr. Dorsay has developed a unique framework for understanding how connection impacts mental health and overall wellbeing. His approach combines clinical experience with practical wisdom to help people live more fully and authentically.Resources:Book: "Super Psyched: Unleash the Power of the Four Types of Connection and Live the Life You Love"Podcast: Super Psyched with Dr. Adam DorsaySign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨Just the meditationIn honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, our May meditation series is going to dive into CONNECTION - to Self, to others, to the natural world and to Spirit - as a response to the mental health crisis of our time: disconnection. Experience a guided meditation that helps awaken your senses, quiet the overwhelmed and anxious mind, and build a resilient, connected spirit.Press play now to immerse yourself in a heartfelt meditation journey that strengthens your connection to yourself, your community, and the living world around you.This meditation features a rainy spring dawn in the Pacific Northwest as recorded by Nick McMahan. Snowmelt from the Cascade mountains and frequent cloud cover causes streams and rivulets to pop up along mountainside. This particular valley, like many in the western cascade range, has many small marshy areas surrounded by tall evergreen trees. By April the nights are filled with sounds of the Cascades Frog and a persistent white noise from nearby flowing water. A dawn chorus starts early and quiets down as a rain shower approaches. This region of Washington is the ancestral lands of the Stillaguamish People.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Disconnection is THE mental health crisis of our time. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, our May meditation series is going to dive into CONNECTION - to Self, to others, to the natural world and to Spirit.In a time marked by political chaos, rising loneliness, and emotional exhaustion, many are searching for ways to restore a deep sense of belonging. This episode explores how meditation can be a powerful tool to reconnect — not only to ourselves and to each other, but also to the natural world that sustains us.Discover why connection and resilience are the two most vital gifts meditation offers during times of crisis - and how to build these qualities.Learn how our innate bond with the earth calms the overwhelmed, anxious and exhausted mind.Experience a guided meditation that helps awaken your senses, quiet the mind and build a resilient, connected spirit.Press play now to immerse yourself in a heartfelt meditation journey that strengthens your connection to yourself, your community, and the living world around you.This meditation features a rainy spring dawn in the Pacific Northwest as recorded by Nick McMahan. Snowmelt from the Cascade mountains and frequent cloud cover causes streams and rivulets to pop up along mountainside. This particular valley, like many in the western cascade range, has many small marshy areas surrounded by tall evergreen trees. By April the nights are filled with sounds of the Cascades Frog and a persistent white noise from nearby flowing water. A dawn chorus starts early and quiets down as a rain shower approaches. This region of Washington is the ancestral lands of the Stillaguamish People.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/briannanielsen_marketingThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just the Meditation ✨In times of burnout, uncertainty, or overwhelming responsibility, it’s easy to feel unmoored. This episode offers a grounding antidote: reconnecting with the Earth not just as a planet, but as a living, supportive force beneath you. Whether you're navigating stress, healing from disconnection, or simply craving calm, this meditation practice will anchor you.Press play to journey into the heart of Earth energy and walk away feeling more supported, connected, and calm than when you arrived.Today's soundscape is from Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest on the east coast of the United Sates as recorded by Gordon Hempton. The Cherokee people are indignenous to this area and were the first people to hear the sounds of this forest.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings, and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://soundtracker.com/https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Have you ever truly felt held by the Earth—not just standing on it, but supported in a deep, ancestral way?In times of burnout, uncertainty, or overwhelming responsibility, it’s easy to feel unmoored. This episode offers a grounding antidote: reconnecting with the Earth not just as a planet, but as a living, supportive force beneath you. Whether you're navigating stress, healing from disconnection, or simply craving calm, this conversation will anchor you.Experience how ancient trails, rock outcroppings, and rooted trees can reflect and hold our modern-day worries.Learn the power of staying still long enough to feel genuinely supported by the Earth.Discover how meditation and elemental practice can help restore your sense of belonging and inner stability.Press play to journey into the heart of Earth energy and walk away feeling more supported, connected, and calm than when you arrived.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Gordon Hempton for today’s nature field recordings, and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://soundtracker.com/https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Honoring Earth Day ✨In a fast-paced world where we often feel disconnected from ourselves and the earth, this episode offers a gentle yet powerful reminder that simple acts—like arranging flowers or walking in nature—can become profound spiritual practices that reduce anxiety and quiet the overwhelmed mind. Any yet, these elemental experiences aren't just calming—they reconnect us to something timeless and essential.Discover how three ancient texts across different traditions honor the Earth element as both cosmic and deeply personal.Learn how practices like flower arranging or stone stacking can become meditative rituals that nourish your soul, reduce anxiety and soothe the overwhelmed mind.Feel inspired to infuse your daily routine with majesty, grounding, and a sense of belonging to a larger spiritual lineage.Tune in now to honor Earth Day and explore how the Earth element can transform your everyday actions into sacred practices of connection, resilience and mindfulness.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨Just the Meditation✨In this episode, we explore the powerful lessons of the water element in meditation. Water moves with ease, follows the path of least resistance, and embraces the journey rather than the destination. If you’ve ever struggled with fear of the unknown or feeling stuck in life, this episode is for you.Press play now and discover how embracing the lessons of water can help you find peace, trust your journey, and move forward with ease.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Are you holding on too tightly to control, fear, or the familiar? What if the secret to peace was learning to let go—just like water?In this episode, we explore the powerful lessons of the water element in meditation. Water moves with ease, follows the path of least resistance, and embraces the journey rather than the destination. If you’ve ever struggled with fear of the unknown or feeling stuck in life, this episode is for you.Learn how water’s natural flow mirrors the path of mindfulness and personal growth.Discover why resistance creates stagnation—and how to overcome it.Explore meditation techniques inspired by wind, fire, water, and earth for deeper self-awareness.Press play now and discover how embracing the lessons of water can help you find peace, trust your journey, and move forward with ease.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨ Just the Meditation ✨Fire is perhaps the most often referenced element within sacred practices from around the world. In cultures near and far, the belly is seen as the home of our life force, our passion, our drive, our digestion {of food, thought and feeling}.When we work with the element of fire in our meditation practice, it is useful to reflect on the element of fire in the external world as well - In reading about controlled burns of forest, two of the most often cited benefits areFire reduces the risk of destructive wildfires.In the same way, when we intentionally work with the fire element in meditation, we are preventing the wild flare-ups that are all too common in moments of high-stress.Fire can be rejuvenating.It returns nutrients to the soil in the ashes of vegetation that could otherwise take years to decompose. Likewise, when we burn away the stories that haunt us, we are left rich and fertile for deep healing and new growth.At first glance, fire can seem like a fearsome, raging torrent, but in actuality, it is lighting our path home and nurturing our rejuvenation. So let’s burn. Press play now to unlock the hidden power of fire and start transforming your stress into strength! Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by stress or weighed down by old stories that no longer serve you? What if fire—the element of transformation—held the key to clearing out the past and reigniting your passion for life?In this episode, we dive deep into the ancient wisdom of fire energy, exploring how intentional "burning" can help us release limiting beliefs, manage emotions, and create space for new growth. Just like controlled burns in nature prevent destructive wildfires, learning to work with our inner fire can prevent emotional outbursts and bring balance to our lives.Learn how fire energy helps you process emotions and let go of old stories.Discover the difference between controlled fire and transformative fire and how they impact your personal growth.Experience a guided meditation to connect with the fire element and harness its power for renewal.Press play now to unlock the hidden power of fire and start transforming your stress into strength! Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨ Just the Meditation ✨When an ecosystem is healthy and thriving, we see the elements {Earth, Air, Fire & Water} working in tandem to promote the most prosperity and diversity possible.The same holds true within the inner landscape. We can use the elements both as an anchor for our meditation practice as well as tools for balancing anxiety, depression and overwhelm. In today’s mini meditation:Discover how the ancient wisdom of the elements can help you create inner harmony.Experience a guided elemental purification practice to release what no longer serves you.Learn how connecting with nature-based mindfulness practices can reduce your anxiety now and support personal transformation for the future.Press play now to experience the grounding and cleansing power of wind meditation, and step into a more balanced and mindful state.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Have you ever felt stuck, weighed down by stress, or unsure how to move forward? What if the key to clarity and transformation was as simple as connecting with the elements?This episode explores the power of elemental meditation, focusing on the wind element as a tool for clearing, movement, and renewal. Through guided practices, you’ll learn how to tap into the natural forces within and around you to cultivate balance and mindfulness.Discover how the ancient wisdom of the elements can help you create inner harmony.Experience a guided elemental purification practice to release what no longer serves you.Learn how connecting with nature-based mindfulness practices can reduce your anxiety now and support personal transformation for the future.Press play now to experience the grounding and cleansing power of wind meditation, and step into a more balanced and mindful state.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨ Just the meditationEmotionally exhausted? This meditation is for you.Crafted from the latest in PTSD treatment techniques this meditation offers a unique visualization practice that you can use on and off the cushion. Take a deep breath, settle in, and press play to immerse yourself in a meditation practice that will help you release exhaustion and regain a sense of calm and renewal.Today's meditation music is a nature soundscape from Olympic National Park as recorded by Nick McMahan. A cathedral of trees, soft mossy and clean rain invite the opportunity to refresh and replenish.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Feeling emotionally drained and completely exhausted? Ever wondered if there's a way to restore your energy and reset your nervous system through meditation?Compassion fatigue and emotional burnout are all too common, especially when juggling the demands of caregiving, work, and personal life. This episode explores how meditation can not only help you acknowledge exhaustion but also actively restore your energy using a powerful visualization technique rooted in PTSD treatment research.☑️ Learn how emotional exhaustion zaps the nervous system and why your body responds as if it is being attacked.☑️ Discover a guided meditation that uses sensory memory to downregulate stress and restore balance.☑️ Experience a practical, accessible technique to refill your emotional cup and reconnect with a sense of safety and joy.Take a deep breath, settle in, and press play to immerse yourself in a meditation practice that will help you release exhaustion and regain a sense of calm and renewal. Today's meditation music is a nature soundscape from Olympic National Park as recorded by Nick McMahan. A cathedral of trees, soft mossy and clean rain invite the opportunity to refresh and replenish.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just The Meditation: Spring Equinox ✨ A Journey of Renewal & Healing Awaits -As light and dark come into perfect harmony, the spring equinox offers a powerful moment to pause, reflect, and realign with your true essence. Honored across cultures as a time of renewal and rebirth, this sacred season invites you to shed the old and embrace new possibilities. In this **special live-recorded meditation** from our retreat, you’ll be guided through the ancient symbolism of the golden egg—representing protection, potential, and prophecy—to awaken your inner wisdom and set powerful intentions for the months ahead. Connect to the spring equinox as it has been celebrated for centuries. Immerse yourself in a guided meditation designed to bring clarity, transformation, and balance. Release stress and reconnect with your higher self, planting the seeds for your personal evolution. Take a deep breath, step into this sacred space, and allow yourself to align with the natural rhythms of renewal. Press play to experience a meditation that will leave you feeling grounded, inspired, and deeply at peace.The nature sounds in this episode capture the gentle lapping of Lake Chelan’s shoreline in Washington state as recorded by Nick McMahan. The Chelan People are the indigenious people who first heard the sounds of this lake.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

A Special Spring Equinox Meditation Retreat ✨Are you overlooking the power of the equinox in your meditation practice?As day and night find perfect balance, this season invites us to reflect, reset, and realign with our truest selves. Ancient traditions recognized this time as one of possibility, creativity, and rebirth. In this meditation, we explore the profound symbolism of the egg—protection, potential, and prophecy—helping you connect with your inner wisdom and set intentions for the months ahead.Discover the power of the equinox and what happens when you connect with thousands of years of seasonal tradition.Experience a guided meditation that gives you the space to clear away distraction, reset, and connect with intention. Cultivate stillness, allowing yourself to release anxiety and overwhelm and nurture the seeds of your future self.Step into this moment of renewal—press play and immerse yourself in a meditation that will leave you feeling balanced, inspired, and deeply connected to your own nature-inspired energy.The nature sounds in this episode capture the gentle lapping of Lake Chelan’s shoreline in Washington state as recorded by Nick McMahan. The Chelan People are the indigenious people who first heard the sounds of this lake.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

✨Just the MeditationGrief, sadness, and heartache can feel all-consuming, making it difficult to stay present. Today's meditation practice is an invitation to hold these emotions with care—not to fix or erase them, but to nurture connection to ourselves, others, and the natural world.Experience a guided meditation practice infused with poetry, breathwork, grounding techniques, and the sounds of Glacier National Park to hold space for your emotions with kindness.Take a deep breath, find a quiet place, and press play to explore a compassionate approach to meditating with grief.Today's soundscape is in honor of Glacier National ParkKintla Lake stretches for miles into the steep peaks and evergreen forest of Glacier National Park, providing a perfect location to record the soft sounds of lapping water. Cool nights tell of the change that will come as the season turns. Quiet between gusts, cool wind blowing from the north. A change of season is in the air. Warm days, cool nights. The vastness of the land is something from classic American western stories. Near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, the Eastern Rocky Mountains of Montana reach into the clouds. The first dusting of snow coating the peaks.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by grief that it seemed to erase every other emotion? In those moments, meditation might feel impossible—but what if it could become a space for tenderness rather than escape?Grief, sadness, and heartache can feel all-consuming, making it difficult to stay present. This episode explores how meditation can help us hold these emotions with care—not to fix or erase them, but to nurture connection to ourselves, others, and the natural world.- Learn how to recognize your personal “window of tolerance” and when meditation can support your healing.- Discover how nature-inspired mindfulness can offer a sense of peace, even in the midst of sorrow.- Experience a guided meditation practice infused with poetry, breathwork, and grounding techniques to hold space for your emotions with kindness.Take a deep breath, find a quiet place, and press play to explore a compassionate approach to meditating with grief.Today's soundscape is in honor of Glacier National ParkKintla Lake stretches for miles into the steep peaks and evergreen forest of Glacier National Park, providing a perfect location to record the soft sounds of lapping water. Cool nights tell of the change that will come as the season turns. Quiet between gusts, cool wind blowing from the north. A change of season is in the air. Warm days, cool nights. The vastness of the land is something from classic American western stories. Near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, the Eastern Rocky Mountains of Montana reach into the clouds. The first dusting of snow coating the peaks.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and soundscapes each week, along with creative musings and more.New episodes every Monday (just the meditation) and Thursday (a full meditation class).Learn more or contact me at https://www.merylarnett.com/. Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just The Meditation ✨Do you ever feel like you're being tossed about by life's constant changes, unable to find solid ground in the midst of chaos?In our fast-paced world filled with uncertainty, finding stability can seem impossible. But what if you could stand strong like a mountain through life's storms?In this meditation, you'll experience a peaceful meditation practice focused on equanimity—that steady, balanced quality that helps you remain centered when everything around you is changing.Immerse yourself in this guided practice with the soothing sounds of Haleakalā on the island of Maui as your backdrop. Feel the calming energy of nature support your journey toward inner balance.Take a deep breath and press play to discover your unshakable center amidst life's changing winds.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant changes in life? Struggling to find stability in the chaos? This meditation explores the power of equanimity—your ability to stay steady like a mountain amidst life’s storms.In a world where personal stress, anxiety and global turmoil seem never-ending, how do we stay grounded? Through meditation, we can develop a sense of inner steadiness that allows us to navigate uncertainty with more ease. This episode provides a reflective practice to help you cultivate resilience and balance.Discover how equanimity can help you remain centered in stressful moments.Learn a simple yet powerful meditation practice to embrace life’s ever-changing nature.Experience the calming energy of nature-inspired mindfulness, recorded with the soothing sounds of Haleakalā on the island of Maui.Take a deep breath and press play—immerse yourself in this guided meditation to find your steady center amidst life’s changing winds.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

How can we honor and protect the sacred lands that sustain us? Join this special meditation practice dedicated to the Earth, where we deepen our connection and commitment to its well-being.With national parks and natural spaces under increasing threat from policy rollbacks, climate change, and resource exploitation, it’s easy to feel powerless. But through mindful reflection and meditation, we can cultivate a deeper relationship with the Earth—one that moves beyond gratitude into active reciprocity.Experience a guided meditation that shifts focus from self-centered practice to offering support and reverence for the Earth.Learn how to integrate reciprocity into your mindfulness routine, acknowledging nature as an equal partner in your well-being.Feel a renewed sense of connection, responsibility, and appreciation for the land, water, and life that surrounds you.Press play now and join this transformative meditation to honor, support, and deepen your relationship with the Earth. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Do you ever find yourself tangled in anxious thoughts at night, struggling to ease into restful sleep?This episode offers a deeply soothing sleep meditation set beside a natural hot spring on a snowy, star-filled night. If stress, anger, or racing thoughts keep you awake, this practice will guide you into a state of relaxation through mindful breathwork and gentle visualization.Experience a full-body release of tension with guided breath counting.Learn how slowing your breath naturally steadies the mind for deep rest.Feel a sense of warmth, safety, and reset, as if cocooned by nature’s healing embrace.Today's nature soundscape blends bubbling water, a trickling creek under the snow, and distant wind through pine trees. Designed to evoke the serene hush of deep winter, it offers a sense of warmth while embracing the quiet stillness of the season's final chapter before the first signs of thaw. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let this meditation lead you into a peaceful, restorative night’s sleep. Press play now.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just The Meditation ✨Do you ever find yourself lying in bed, unable to turn off your mind—still thinking about the stress of the day or worrying about tomorrow?End-of-day fatigue and mental chatter can make it hard to truly unwind, leaving you restless and disconnected. But what if you could release the tension and reclaim your evenings with a simple, soothing meditation? In this episode, you will consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep with a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention.Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day.Take a deep breath, let it all go, and press play to experience this powerful end-of-day meditation!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

The evening hours often arrive with an unwelcome companion—a mind still buzzing with the day's events, shoulders tight with tension, and thoughts already drifting to tomorrow's challenges. As the sun sets, many of us find ourselves caught in what author Lynne Twist calls "the reverie of lack," that persistent whisper telling us we haven't done enough, aren't enough, don't have enough.But what if you could learn to consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep? In this third episode of our meditation series, we explore a gentle yet powerful evening practice designed to help you let go of the day's stress and prepare for restful sleep.Discover how to mindfully guide your thoughts, choosing where to place your attention rather than being carried away by mental chatter. Discover a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention.This evening meditation weaves together practical stress management tools with a sense of empowerment over your thoughts, helping you create a peaceful bedtime routine that sets you up for deep, restorative sleep. The practice builds on our previous episodes about morning gratitude and midday resets, completing your toolkit for maintaining mindfulness throughout your entire day.Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day.Take these few minutes for yourself to experience this calming meditation—press play and feel yourself gently releasing the day, one breath at a time.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Just The Meditation ✨Do you ever find yourself lying in bed, unable to turn off your mind—still thinking about the stress of the day or worrying about tomorrow?End-of-day fatigue and mental chatter can make it hard to truly unwind, leaving you restless and disconnected. But what if you could release the tension and reclaim your evenings with a simple, soothing meditation? In this episode, you will consciously release the day's tensions and reconnect with yourself before sleep with a beautiful visualization practice where each moment of your day becomes a bubble, released back to the universe with every exhale. Experience the profound shift that comes from consciously naming and releasing the thoughts vying for your attention.Our meditation music in this episode is the wild, diverse and secluded beaches of Hawaii as recorded by Nick McMahan. The ocean waves help to carry away the stress of the day.Take a deep breath, let it all go, and press play to experience this powerful end-of-day meditation!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Follow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Overwhelmed? Stressed? Anxious? Try this quick 10-minute, lunch break meditation that is designed to reset the nervous system and quiet the mind. No chatter; no distractions - this episode is JUST THE MEDITATION. Pop-in your headphones, settle into a comfy spot and let's meditate on our lunch break. Today's meditation music comes to us from a bamboo forest on the road to Hana - almost musical, definitely rhythmic, and always soothing.Take a few minutes for yourself and experience this grounding meditation—press play and feel the shift instantly!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Hear more from this location on Nick's website: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/dawn-on-haleakalaLearn about Quiet Parks International’s conservation work: https://www.quietparks.orgFollow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Do you ever start your day with the best of intentions—only to find yourself overwhelmed by midday, rushing through lunch, and feeling completely drained?Midday stress can quickly derail even the best-planned day, leaving you exhausted and disconnected from yourself. But what if just 5-10 minutes of mindfulness could reset your nervous system and bring you back to center? In this episode, Meryl Arnett shares a simple yet powerful lunchtime meditation to help you feel grounded, refreshed, and ready to take on the rest of your day.Learn how to create a midday reset—even on your busiest daysDiscover a breathing technique that calms the mind and body in minutesExperience the power of nature-inspired soundscapes, blended with steady tones like singing bowls and chimes, to bring a sense of grounding and stability to your practice. Today's meditation music comes to us from a bamboo forest on the road to Hana - almost musical and definitely rhythmic.Take a few minutes for yourself and experience this grounding meditation—press play and feel the shift instantly!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations and nature soundscapes each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing. Hear more from this location on Nick's website: https://www.nickcmcmahan.com/dawn-on-haleakalaLearn about Quiet Parks International’s conservation work: https://www.quietparks.orgFollow Nick’s audio projects: https://www.nickcmcmahan.comThank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

What if you could start your day feeling grounded, grateful, and clear-minded—without the noise and distractions? In this peaceful guided meditation, you’ll be immersed in the sounds of a Maui sunrise, setting the tone for a day filled with intention and gratitude. No chatter, no clutter—just a mindful practice designed to help you cultivate calm, connection, and resilience from the moment you wake up. Awaken with a sense of gratitude and purpose Feel deeply connected to nature’s rhythm and energy Begin your day with clarity, focus, and inner peace Press play now to experience a meditation that transforms your morning into a moment of stillness, gratitude, and renewal. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.comyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

This week, we explore how to weave mindfulness through our entire day, starting with a gentle morning practice that sets our intentions and opens our hearts to daily gifts. What We'll Share Together:A gentle morning practice that helps us set our day's intentionSome thoughts about consistency (spoiler: it matters more than duration!)A beautiful concept called the cycle of reciprocity that might just change how you see your dayReal, practical ways to stay connected to our practice, even when life gets busyOur Practice Today:A 20-minute guided meditation (but remember, even 3 minutes counts!)Time to settle in and get comfortableSpace to notice the gifts already present in your dayA chance to set an intention that really means something to youPlenty of room for whatever arisesMeditation Music:The natural soundscape comes from a recording high on the slopes of Haleakalā, Maui. Many of the bird calls belong to local and endangered species, which Nick McMahan had the opportunity to capture while studying the region's sound ecology for Quiet Parks International.Ideas We'll Explore:Robin Wall Kimmerer's lovely cycle of reciprocity: attention, gifts, gratitude, and reciprocityWhy morning practice can be special (but it's totally okay if you're not a morning person!)How to name specific intentions (because "good" isn't quite enough)Ways to notice the gifts already present in our livesA Story That Inspired Today's Practice:I'll share a beautiful story about a climate journalist who found her way back to joy through really seeing the plants around her. It's from "The Light Eaters" and connects so beautifully with Robin Wall Kimmerer's ideas in "Braiding Sweetgrass."This Practice Might Be Just Right If:You're looking for ways to carry your practice beyond the cushionYou want to start your day with intention (at whatever time feels right)You're curious about building a practice that really fits your lifeYou're ready to explore what consistency might look like for youWhat's Coming Next:We'll continue exploring how to weave mindfulness through our days together, looking at moments like lunch and dinner. I'm excited to share this journey with you!

Welcome back to Our Mindful Nature! This week, we explore how the woodpecker's drumming can guide us in releasing emotional armor, including anxiety and overwhelm, and deepening our connection with the natural world.What You'll Experience:- A guided meditation synced with the woodpecker's natural drumming pattern- Gentle body scanning and breath awareness practice- An invitation to let nature's rhythms soften our emotional armorMeditation Music Details:- Morning bird chorus recorded in a California coniferous forest- Featured sounds include woodpecker drums, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Warbling Vireo, Douglas' Squirrel, and Mountain Chickadee- All nature sounds recorded and edited by Gordon HemptonSign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more. Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:https://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Thank you to Gordon Hempton for the use of his nature recordings. You can find him at: https://soundtracker.com/ Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visitingmerylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Exploring the Depths of AwarenessIn this final episode of our heartfulness series, we’re diving below the surface of mindfulness into the rich, uncharted waters of the subconscious. While mindfulness often focuses on our conscious, waking mind, heartfulness invites us to explore the deeper layers of our being — the parts of us that dwell in dreams, intuition, and quiet knowing.What We Discuss in This Episode:How mindfulness works with the thinking mind, while heartfulness taps into the subconscious.Why Albert Einstein’s wisdom—“You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it”—is a call to explore beyond conscious thought.The subconscious as a vast glacier: what lies beneath the surface is so much more expansive than what we can see.Practical ways to work with dreams to access your subconscious and deepen your self-awareness:Setting a dream intention before sleep.Dream work practices like journaling, drawing, or asemic writing.Dream queries: engaging with symbols or characters from your dreams to uncover their teachings.Dream associations: noticing and connecting elements of your dreams to waking life.Oracle collage: using cards or imagery to weave meaning and insights from your subconscious.What You’ll Experience:A dreamy, ocean-inspired soundscape featuring dawn on the east side of Maui near the dormant volcano Haleakala as recorded by nature field recordist Nick McMahan.A grounding ocean-based meditation to “sink beneath the iceberg,” expanding your awareness into the depths of your subconscious.Tips for welcoming daydreams and staying awake to the dreams that emerge in your meditation practice.Slip on your headphones, drift into the dreamy soundscape, and let’s explore the heartful depths together. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Welcome back to Our Mindful Nature! This week, we’re continuing our heartfulness series by stepping off the meditation cushion and into the great outdoors.Last episode, we explored the softer, heart-led practice of meditation — a way of being curious, embodied, and a co-participant in the experience rather than its manager. But heartfulness isn’t just for meditation; it’s a lens for living. And one of the most powerful ways to nurture heartfulness is by connecting with nature.What We Discuss in This Episode:Did heartfulness shift your meditation practice this past week?How spending intentional time in nature can open your heart and deepen your awareness.Overcoming “green blindness” — seeing the familiar world around us with fresh curiosity and care.Bringing committed intention and attention to every moment, whether it’s in nature, your relationships, or your work.What You’ll Experience:A grounding invitation to spend 10 minutes outdoors, truly seeing what’s around you.Practical tips for practicing heartfulness in your daily life, even beyond nature.Meditation MusicToday’s meditation is set to a beautiful new soundscape combining earth and elemental sounds and singing bowls, designed to help you connect to the present moment with intimacy and curiosity.All nature sounds are recorded and edited by nature field recordist Nick McMahan.Put on your headphones, step outside, and join us as we explore heartfulness in nature. Let’s see what this moment has to offer. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Happy New Year and welcome back to Our Mindful Nature, where we explore the intersection of meditation, nature, and mental health. Let’s start the year by diving into a fresh, gentler perspective on mindfulness — or should we say, heartfulness?In this episode, I share a thought that’s been swirling in my mind: what if we reframed our practice? While in the West, meditation is often translated as “mindfulness,” the original Pali word aligns more closely with the concept of “heartfulness.” Imagine how this shift might change the way we experience meditation practice and life.What We Discuss in This Episode:Why mindfulness in the West focuses so much on the intellect and how this reflects our cultural values.The richness of practicing from the heart: a softer, more embodied approach.How heartfulness isn’t just about sitting on a cushion but about cultivating a way of being.Simple, actionable steps to embrace heart-awareness in your practice.A Guided Practice: We’ll close the episode with a short nature-based meditation to explore heartfulness together. Feel the warmth of the season and settle into a sense of connection with your inner landscape.Tune in to explore a gentler, more heartfelt way to nurture your mental health, connect with nature, and deepen your meditation practice.Let’s Connect: Enjoyed the episode? Let us know your thoughts! Share your reflections on social media and tag us at @merylarnett.Ready to embrace heartfulness? Hit play and let’s journey inward together. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature - a live recording of my Winter Solstice meditation retreat - is the perfect practice to welcome in the winter season. A mini meditation retreat you can do at home!The Winter Solstice is always a discussion of light and dark. Mythology abounds, as do rituals of celebration and reflection. In this class, you will hear some of the mythology surrounding the Winter Solstice. We will explore what it means to ‘harvest the fire’ in this season; we will talk about caves, bees, fire and honey. At the end, you will experience a longer, guided meditation that takes you through a reflection of the year and an inquiry into what is to come next in 2025. You can use this as a time to set intentions for the season or the new year.So grab your tea, light your fire, and settle in as we welcome Winter. In this episode, you hear:The Shortest Day by Susan CooperWintering by Sylvia PlathSounds of the natural world recorded by Nick McMahanI hope you enjoy! This is the last episode of 2024. We will back in 2025 with all new episodes, guests and practices to share ❄️This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

A winter sleep meditation for you today, dear listeners!As we slip into the darker, colder, and yet somehow busier part of the year I thought we would dedicate some class time to the richness of rest. This episode is an invitation to get cozy, to set aside your to-do list for a few moments, and rest.You can utilize this guided meditation forNaptime or a mid-day resetGentle guidance into evening sleepSupport for falling back asleep if you wake in the middle of the nightAnd listeners, I have to tell you today’s episode has my FAVORITE soundscape of the year. A soothing combination of singing bowls and elemental sounds of the natural world - I highly recommend headphones for the full listening experience. The soundscape and video for this episode are from nature field recordist Nick McMahan.So grab a blanket and a cup of tea, pop-in your headphones, and join me for today’s winter-time sleep meditation.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s video, nature field recordings, video and sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:https://www.nickcmcmahan.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brianna_podcastpro/Watch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

There is something magical about the night sky and the winter woods; a place of dreams and possibility; a place of rest and restoration.In today’s episode of Our Mindful Nature, nature field recordist Nick McMahan shares a dreamscape from Glacier National Park. Not quite a guided meditation, not quite a sleep-story, but rather a meditative experience. A connection to both land and self. Perfect for relaxing before bed, taking a mid-day break, or adding some wintery vibes to your day. You will hear cool wind blowing from the north towards the Eastern Rocky Mountains; the first snow dusting its peaks. Nick weaves a story of dream-images and real-life exploration of this landscape: “Silently, I watch the dense night sky as a calm breeze washes over me, cresting like a wave through the nearby aspens. On a clear night in a remote corner of the Rockies, deep in grizzly country, I see a countless sea of stars overhead, shimmering as brightly as I’ve ever seen. Reaching into my pocket, I grab my small pair of backpacking binoculars for a closer look.”Grab your headphones, a cup of something warm, and settle in by the fire. Rest your feet.Rest your mind.Rest your heart.Join us for a night under the stars in Glacier National Park.The nature sounds in this episode were recorded in the Eastern Rocky Mountains near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The Blackfeet people have lived in the Rocky Mountain region for over 10,000 years and were the first people to hear the sounds of the winter wind blowing in from the north in this region.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s episode including narration, nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:nickmcmahan.cominstagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Recently, I had a moment where I just didn’t feel seen. And later, as I was processing those feelings, I picked up James Crews’ newest book of poetry, Unlocking the Heart, and I opened to the poem, ‘The World Loves You Back’ - It was exactly what I needed to hear. That I/You/We are all seen for exactly who we are by the animate earth around us. That we aren’t alone.In today’s meditation class, we explore the significance of belonging and being actively engaged in one’s environment. We delve into the idea of reciprocal relationships with the animate earth and our meditation practices, with an emphasis on the importance of active participation. Join me for a poem, discussion and guided meditation inviting us into reciprocal breathing with the forest around us. Thank you to Acoustic Ecologist Gordon Hempton for the use of today’s soundscape. Learn more about Gordon here: https://soundtracker.com/about-gordon-hempton/ Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Friends, grab a cup of tea, your coziest blanket and join me as we welcome back poet James Crews. James has been a guest on Our Mindful Nature multiple times and his thoughtful presence has become something I look forward to each year. James and I sat down to chat about his new book 'Unlocking the Heart: Writings for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion’ right before the November election in the U.S. Together, we reflect on life's challenging moments, the role of poetry in providing solace, and the importance of pausing and mindfulness. James shares insights into his daily practices of writing and meditation, the significance of noticing everyday wonders, and offers a poem to encourage listeners to find their own moments of wonder and peace.If you only buy one more book this year, I hope it is this one. I have picked it up daily since the election and it continues to be the balm I most need for comfort, for heartfulness, for grief, and for presence. Learn more about James and his new book here: https://www.jamescrews.net/Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Oh y’all. If you are struggling to practice right now; I’m with you. If anxiety and overwhelm are front and center; I’m with you. If you aren’t sure you can even stand to listen to a whole podcast episode right now; I’m with you. It is a lot. All of it. As I thought about what might be helpful in the month of November, what felt the most resonant (at least to me) is to focus on the simplest acts of care. This episode highlights the major teachings I’ve shared in classes and on the podcast through 2024 so far, and it teases out the most important reminders for maintaining mental health. I share a bit about a brand new PTSD treatment I got to test, tips for when meditating for 20-minutes is out of the question, and ways to care for ourselves and our loved ones in the simplest of ways.Lastly, I share a guided meditation that emphasizes simplicity and presence. May it serve all of us well <3 Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

In this episode of 'Our Mindful Nature,' I am delighted to welcome back Octavia Raheem, acclaimed author, rest coach and dear friend, to discuss her newest book, 'Rest is Sacred.' Together, we explore the significance of rest, what it means to rest, and, more importantly, what it looks like to find rest in the midst of constant “busyness”. Octavia shares insights on the various forms rest can take, from conventional yoga practices to simple mindful pauses in daily life. At the end, Octavia shares a guided exercise and reading from her book, encouraging listeners to seek restorative moments and redefine what rest means to them.Join us!Find Octavia & her new book here: https://www.octaviaraheem.com/rest-is-sacredSign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visitingmerylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

“If one sees two women sitting at a crossroads, facing one another, they are engaged in witchcraft.” - TalmudFrom our witch meditation series, we know that the witch archetype is truly about people who are reclaiming their personal power. And from the quote above, I love the significance of this sense of power being found in the crossroads; the intersections. It reminds me of one of my favorite teachings in Buddhist psychology - known as The Middle Way. In the teachings of The Middle Way, we learn to embrace tension and paradox. Rather than waiting for the resolution, we become skillful at residing in the middle of it all…“Of course we can always imagine more perfect conditions, how it should be ideally, how everyone else should behave. But it’s not our task to create an ideal. It’s our task to see how it is, and to learn from the world as it is. For the awakening of the heart, conditions are always good enough.” - Ajahn SumedoJoin me for today’s discussion and guided meditation centered on the power we find while resting in the middle.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:nickmcmahan.cominstagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

A meditation for your daily practice - no chat beforehand, no distractions. Just you, the forest, and your breath.Join me for this Green Witch-inspired meditation. Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s nature field recordings, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:nickmcmahan.cominstagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

In this episode, we continue our exploration of personal power through the archetypes of the witch. Together, we will journey through the Water Witch and the Swamp Witch archetypes, uncovering their unique connections to water, the moon, and the balance between conformity and wildness. The Water Witch draws rituals from aquatic environments, emphasizing adaptability, while the Swamp Witch thrives in the liminal spaces, representing untamed freedom.Being fluid in change is the superpower of both of these witchy archetypes.At the end, there is a 20-minute guided meditation devoted to the Water Witch, inviting all of us to sync with the rhythm of our breath and metaphorical ocean waves, fostering inner peace and presence.This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

“You are the sister to the wolf and friend to the hawk. You know in your heart the language of the plants and the songs of the wind. You have an innate connection to the wild edges. You know the beauty of the bee in flight, and hear the call of freedom on the horizon. And yet, as you go through your day today, it may be easy to miss the drum call of the Earth.” – Wild WomanThe Green Witch is one who sources her sense of power and nourishment from the Earth itself. She is one who might feel deeply connected to plants and animals and finds balance with time outside. The Green Witch likely spends more time than most contemplating the understanding that we are nature. In our exploration of the earth and forest archetype, we look at reciprocal relationships with the earth as a source of power and grounding. Join me for today’s talk and Green Witch-inspired meditation.Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s custom-crafted soundscape, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:nickmcmahan.cominstagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Welcome, Witches.This all new meditation series is devoted to the archetype of the witch. Why, you ask? Well for starters, it is spooky season, but perhaps more importantly, because the witch archetype is especially potent for those of us grappling with reclaiming our personal power. There are so many ‘types’ of witches: the kitchen witch, the green witch, the water witch, etc. And,all of these sub-types refer to the place or activity where we source the majority of our power. Today’s episode is devoted to the Kitchen Witch:In ancient Greece the word for “cook”, “butcher” and “priest” was the same -‘mageiros’- and the word shares an etymological root with the word magic.– Michael PollanThe Kitchen Witch is one who finds her power in the kitchen. She is deeply committed to nourishment - with a cauldron bubbling and tea brewing She is drawn to family recipes connecting her to ancestorsHer ingredients connect her to the earth elementAnd perhaps most importantly, cooking on stove or hearth-fire, connects her to the alchemical power of fire. Fire resides in the belly. It is the heat of action, of purpose, intention and passion. It is also the fire that burns the ghosts that haunt us.This fire is directly tied to the heart space, the home of air/breath/spirit, this is where our caring, compassion and love originate. For the kitchen witch, these two domains are intimately linked - our fire transforming our love - making love manifest.Join me for today’s episode devoted to the alchemy of the kitchen witch complete with a 20-minute guided kitchen witch meditation and a custom-made kitchen witch soundscape from Nick McMahan. Enjoy!Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Nick McMahan for today’s custom-crafted soundscape, sound design, and editing; and thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find them at:nickmcmahan.cominstagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

More often than I can count, I have conversations with students asking me what’s next in their meditation practice, how to go deeper, or how to feel better in the toughest of times… and today, I am delighted to share a powerful conversation offering a few answers to these tough questions.Andrew Holecek is a returning guest to the podcast, as well as a renowned author and humanitarian who teaches internationally on spirituality, meditation, lucid dreaming, and the art of dying. His many books include Reverse Meditation and Dream Yoga. And now, he has a new book out - I’m Mindful, Now What? Moving Beyond Mindfulness to Meet the Modern World. This book, and our discussion today, reveals how the form of mindfulness many of us know is merely one thread in a much older, greater tapestry of contemplative practice. For anyone who has sensed the potential for something much deeper and more profound - this conversation is for YOU.Andrew and I talk about: Brining meditation off the cushion and into our day-to-day experiencesPractices that move beyond simply “calming down” The near enemies of practice, which include spiritual bypassing, spiritual materialism and the tricky distinction between tranquility and liberation. Waking up vs. growing upFive nocturnal meditation practices, the value of the dream state, and the magic of liminality.Lastly and most importantly, we talk about why these practices matter when the world is on fire. At the end, Andrew shares a guided meditation that he does every morning to start off his day. Join me for this inspiring conversation and practice. And listeners, I need to know - should I have Andrew come back to tell us more about these dream practices?!?There is so much richness in this practice, here is a breakout of some of the key moments:01:32 The Five-Year Retreat Experience04:42 Beyond Mindfulness: Deeper Practices06:54 Shamatha and Vipashyana Explained12:18 The Importance of Waking Down15:48 Therapeutic and Somatic Support18:32 Traps on the Meditative Path24:16 Waking Up vs. Growing Up26:48 Nocturnal Meditations27:16 The Importance of Dreams27:34 Polyphasic vs. Monophasic Cultures28:16 Ego and Altered States of Consciousness29:06 The Three-Dimensional View of Reality31:00 The Five Nocturnal Practices32:51 Exploring Liminal Dreaming34:14 The Science Behind Liminal Dreaming35:23 Observational Intent and Thought Image Amalgamation36:37 Deconstructing the Sense of Self42:56 The Collective Mind and Quantum Entanglement48:44 Guided Meditation PracticeLearn more about Andrew Holecek and find his new book here: https://www.andrewholecek.com/Sign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at:instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.

Today’s episode is an invitation to settle into the deepest listening and to celebrate what we find when we move beyond the noise of humans. Today, we embark on a meditative listening experience crafted by nature field recordist Nick McMahan. Earlier this year, Nick spent several days seeking out the quietest spot in Oregon. Exploring nature’s whispers and finding serenity in the sagebrush are what inspired today’s guided audio experience - a recording of Nick’s exploration.Together, we will listen to the symphony that arises within Oregon’s quietest ecosystem.What does it mean to listen to such quiet? What can we learn in the absence of human-made noise?Grab your headphones, close your eyes, and join Nick on a journey through the Basque Hills of Oregon:High and dry. There is hardly anything here. No water, no trees, just a small two-track (dirt road where people have driven enough times to form a road, but the ground has never been graded), and a distant horizon. The terrain appears endlessly flat, but after some time walking, I cannot see my car anymore. No towns, people, highways, or aircraft. A strange silence seems to be suspended in the still air. I sit down in the sagebrush and the wind calms. Looking closer I see various small wildflowers growing in clumps, thoughtfully placed near roots and sage. I lay down. It doesn’t feel dirty here. The dusty soil is cool, almost soothing. Eyes close, it is not long before a whir of wings pass not far overhead. Quickly followed by another and a hushed chirp. Something imperceptible has shifted. There is another soft chirp. Another whir, over to the left. Then a trill. Gradually building, a mesmerizing chorus of Brewer’s sparrows and a steady drumbeat of a common poorwill in the distance weave the song of this quiet sage land.These sounds were recorded on the ancestral land of the Northern Paiute people.Today’s episode was written, recorded and edited by Nick McMahan. Nick is a nature sound recordist and photographer, seeking projects to promote a more conscious world. Learn more and check out his sound libraries by visiting: nickmcmahan.comSign up for my newsletter at https://merylarnett.substack.com/ to receive free mini meditations each week, creative musings, and more.Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production, editing and social media support: instagram.com/brianna_podcastproWatch on YouTube, Make a donation, or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.cominstagram.com/merylarnettyoutube.com/@ourmindfulnatureThis podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.